Have you ever been tempted to clean your flat screen tv with regular glass cleaner and paper towels? STOP!!! You’re going to mess you tv up!
NEVER Use Paper Towels, Tissues or Household Cleaners to Clean Your Flat Screen TV!!
Paper towels, tissues and toilet paper are all wood based products and the fibers in those materials will leave small scratches all over the tv screen. These scratches will be very noticeable from the right angle.
What about Windex?
Household cleaners normally contain ammonia or alcohol. Consequently, this will cause the tv screen to dry out and crack over time.
For example, Windex contains ammonia and Dawn Dish Soap contains small amounts of alcohol. Flat screen TVs can cost thousands so it’s important to understand how to maintain them properly.
How To Clean Your TV Screen
The method you use to clean your tv screen with will vary depending on the degree of dirtiness, but no matter how dirty the tv gets you always want to use a microfiber cloth.
Here are 3 ways to clean your flat screen tv.
Level 1 Cleaning – General Dusting
This cleaning is for tvs that just need a good dusting.
Instructions:
1. Turn off the TV. Turning off the TV will help you to see the dust better. Furthermore, this will also allow the TV to cool down. A hot TV is harder to clean than a cool one.
2. Grab a microfiber cloth A.K.A. lint-free cloth. Make sure it is dry.
3. Dust the TV. Start wiping off the tv working your way from top to bottom.
Level 2 Cleaning – Spot Clean
If your tv screen has various fingerprint smudges or spots of dried saliva this cleaning is for you.
Instructions:
1. Shut off the TV. This is for the same reason mentioned above.
2. Dampen a microfiber cloth with water. I recommend using Distilled water as I find tap water tends to leave a residue. Ensure you ring the cloth out well to prevent excess water from dripping down the screen.
3. Wipe off the fingerprints. Apply light pressure and gently rub away the smudges with small circular motions. Also, avoid applying hard pressure as this can distort the pixels.
Level 3 Cleaning – The Deep Clean
For a flat screen tv that’s mucky, grimy, greasy and resembles a child’s iPad…. the level 3 cleaning is for you!! For this, you will need an actual electronics cleaner.
The difference between electronics cleaners and household cleaners is that they don’t contain ammonia or alcohol. If you ever stumble upon an electronics cleaner that contains ammonia or alcohol it’s a scam and should not be used to clean your tv screen!!
Instructions:
1. Turn off the TV.
2. Lightly spray a microfiber cloth with an electronics cleaner of your choice. For a demonstration of this refer to the video above at minute 4:21.
3. Wipe off the TV! Gently wipe away the grime applying light pressure. As mentioned above, hard pressure can distort the pixels so be compassionate.
Flat Screen TV Cleaning FAQ:
Can I use Windex on a Flat Screen TV?
No! Windex contains ammonia which will dry out the tv screen and over time create small cracks.
Can you use rubbing alcohol to clean a flat screen tv?
No! Over time it will dry out the screen and ruin the tv. Instead clean your tv screen with an electronics cleaner designed for tvs.
How do you clean smudges off of a flat screen tv?
Use a damp microfiber cloth and gently rub away fingerprint smudges with small circular motions. Additionally, only apply light pressure as hard pressure can distort the pixels.
What should never be used to clean a LCD screen?
Stay away from household cleaners that contain ammonia or alcohol. Instead, opt for electronics cleaners designed for tvs. Furthermore, avoid using paper towels, tissues, or toilet paper as these products are wood based and the fibers will scratch the tv screen.
What is the best screen cleaner?
Flawless screen cleaner does a great job. It can be purchased from Amazon, comes with a microfiber cleaning cloth and is safe to use on all LCD, LED and plasma screens.
